152 A GARDEN DIARY 
gardens, or ploughed fields. Such a prospect, 
though enticing, might take some little time to 
carry out. Confining oneself for the moment 
to the immediate case, one finds that like most 
other cases, political, or horticultural, it is mainly 
one of compromise. Were our copse beginning 
to dwindle perilously, then, with a politician of 
the last generation, I should exclaim ‘‘ Can't you 
leave it alone?” Seeing that, though we have 
been chopping assiduously ever since we came, 
two-thirds of our space is still covered with un- 
invaded copse, the case seems to me to be a fair 
one for experiment. 
That being decided upon, what to experiment 
with becomes the next question, and here aspect 
is clearly the ruling factor. That no early morn- 
ing sun will reach the place even in summer is 
certain. Four respectable oaks, of quite a gentle- 
manly girth, stand along the fence, and forbid it. 
They are not near enough for their roots to do 
much damage, but the firstlings of the sun’s rays 
they will certainly keep to themselves. This being 
so, there is a limit clearly as to what will answer. 
All things considered, especially with regard to 
the fact that the brambles could hardly be dis- 
lodged without a wrench which would disorganise 
everything, I am inclined to give my vote for 
more brambles, only this time civilised ones. 
There are plenty fortunately to choose from. 
There is, for instance, Rubus odoratus, showing 
